Crosses, tears, and mutineers
by Pilotofmymind
Summary: Hector plans the mutiny, Jack realizes this but does nothing to prevent it, as it is inevitable. Implied Hector/Jack, implied Bootstrap/Jack


Jack is still standing on deck, looking out over the sea with a strange, almost sad, expression when Bootstrap comes up to get away from the other men. He doesn't know what to say to Jack, or if he even should say anything, as he walks silently across the deck to stand behind Jack. It's cold, so he regrets leaving his boots off. But Jack is barefoot too, so he doesn't feel too silly, "Bootstrap?" Jack asks, but he doesn't turn around, and Bootstrap wonders how on earth Jack knew it was him,

"Yes Captain?" he asks slowly, a bit nervously as he steps up beside the captain, but doesn't look at him, afraid of what he might find if he does,

"What happened?" Jack asks at length, and Bootstrap looks up at him, confused. And he tries to understand just what it is Jack is referring to, but he can't bring anything to mind. No matter how hard he thinks it over there's no particular thing that comes to mind, so Bootstrap nervously says,

"Sir?" as he leans on the railing and looks over at Jack cautiously, and what he didn't want to see, didn't want to think about, didn't want to acknowledge, is there in Jack's eyes. His onyx eyes are sparkling in a way Bootstrap has never seen before, and his heart goes out to the young boy, because this is horrible, and Jack knows, Jack just _knows_,

"I didn't expect this. Not from him." Jack doesn't clarify, because he knows Bootstrap knows. Of course he knows, he's part of it. But still he feels the need to talk to someone. Anyone. Even a bloody mutineer.

"Who?" Bootstrap asks hesitantly, in a tone of voice that's much too weak for his own ears. He knows full well Jack means Hector. Knows full well that Jack knows they're doing him wrong. But what he doesn't understand is why Jack doesn't just make Hector walk the plank. If he got rid of the bad apple, the rest of the barrel might still be saved.

But Bootstrap knows that they're all greedy, every last one of them. They're all pirates. And even with Hector, smart smooth talking Hector (with his weird monkey), gone some one would still try to rise up against Jack, again. Because Jack is smart, and always seems to be able to get out of all of the trouble he's ever been in, and at least, Bootstrap thinks slowly, Hector will leave Jack on an islet. A rum islet. Anyone else would kill him, Bootstrap flinches inwardly at the thought.

"I don't right understand it." is Jack's infuriating response. Leave it to Jack to make it sound so unfathomable. "Thought I'd given all I could give." Jack said slowly, sadly, and Bootstrap has to look away, because the look of tears in Jack Sparrows eyes is just _too_ much to handle.

Neither of them speaks for a while, and Bootstrap has no idea how long it's been, but he slowly moves away, and looks at Jack sadly, "I-I'll be right back, Captain." he says softly, and Jack who always has something to say doesn't respond.

Bootstrap had seen Jack doing it before, sewing trinkets into his hair, it was interesting, and strange. And it totally suited Jack. And it had always seemed to cheer the man up above all else, and so Bootstrap decided to try and help him. It was quiet below deck, which was strange, but Bootstrap pays no mind and quietly goes to his chest, kneeling in front of it he lifts the lid and peers inside. There's a small box, it's black, and he smiles when he sees it sitting on top of his best shirt.

Bootstrap slowly, gently lifts the box and opens it, he lifts a chain and unclasps it, shifting it trough his fingers until he catches the small, small gold cross and slips it free of the chain. He'd meant to send it to his wife, he can pick her another one up after this is all over. Right now he wants to see Jack smile. So he grabs his small sewing kit (and he resents the fact that he even knows how to sew), and heads up to see Jack again.

He pauses on the stairs, Barbossa is talking to Jack, and the first mate seems almost angry as he speaks, gesturing wildly, and Bootstrap feels his heart pounding in his chest, hears it thundering in his ears as he watches Jack look up at the other man, his expression carefully blank, as he motions off toward the cabin, and turns away. Barbossa is bristling as he turns away, and Bootstrap almost doesn't go up to Jack, but he feels he has to, and so he does.

"Jack?" Bootstrap keeps his voice low as he comes up beside the other pirate, and Jack doesn't look at him, or really acknowledge him, so he isn't sure he said it loud enough, but he slowly holds his hand up to show the small cross, and he barely sees it, but he does. Jack looks at it from his periphery, and seems a bit surprised, and Bootstrap knows that if he hadn't been watching for a reaction he probably wouldn't have seen it.

"Bootstrap, that's for..." Bootstrap nods, and Jack finally turns toward him looking at it curiously, and he doesn't ask because he knows Bootstrap will tell him, if he wants him to know, so Jack waits silently as he looks down at the small golden cross in Bootstrap's palm.

"I thought that maybe you'd like it for a decoration in your hair?" Bootstrap sounds almost timid, and Jack stays silent for a stretch, and nods after several moments, and Bootstrap smiles as he takes the needle out, slipping the small pouch behind his belt, and moves forward to sew the cross into Jack's hair. His hands are trembling slightly, and he realizes that he feels guilty for something they haven't even done yet. And he knows that's because he knows it's wrong.

Jack is silent as Hector taunts him, and Bootstrap almost asks Hector not to do it, because the haunted look in Jack's eyes is enough to chill him deep to the bone, and he feels as if he can see his own death in those deep, dark eyes. But he stays silent standing at Hector's right shoulder and watches silently as the other men laugh in a way that can only be described as maniacally. In time he knows he'll regret it, but for now even the haunted look in his former captain's eyes can't keep his mind off of the troves of treasure they're heading for, that now has one less way to be divided. And Bootstrap smiles despite himself, and maybe it's just because everyone else is smiling and laughing, because the only thing he feels is a deep cold that's set in his bones, and despite the warmth of the air around him, he feels dead.

Jack breaks the surface of the water, and lazily makes his way to the beach shore, and Bootstrap and Hector watch from the helm as they sail away, only this time Hector doesn't realize that Bootstrap is standing at his right shoulder. Jack is watching the ship, and Hector is watching him. And Jack slowly, slowly raises his eyes to Hector's prone form, and Hector flashes him a smile. He sees Jack's lips moving, but he isn't sure what the man is saying. Jack is looking right at him, through him, and all Hector can do is laugh.

And then Jack cants his head to the left, and the sun reflects brightly off of the small golden cross in his hair, and Hector feels a cold settle in his stomach, because he recognizes that cross. He had been there when Jack had helped Bootstrap pick it out.

The cold in the pit of Hector's stomach seemed to be growing, seemed to be spreading throughout his body as he tried desperately to will Jack to look into his eyes, but Jack's eyes were adverted just enough to remind Hector that he wasn't looking at him, and as Hector whirled away angrily, his angry only grew. It was a flash of cold, and he stood glaring at Bootstrap, realizing with a start that Jack was looking into Bootstrap's eyes.

Hector realized that he hated Bootstrap. And as he pushed roughly past him his mind was already turning rapidly, trying to think of a proper way to be rid of Bootstrap, trying to think of a way to blame this, all of this, his loss of love, his betrayal, on Bootstrap and Jack. Because he knew if he could turn it around on Jack he would never have to feel guilty. But even as he entered the captain's cabin, the cabin that was now _his_ Hector felt cold.

He stood looking out the window at Jack, watching the man fading away, and again he saw the mans lips move, and though he had no idea what the man was saying he felt certain it had nothing do do with him or the crew. He was sure it was the Pearl Jack was whispering to.

"I feel..." Hector knew he should be satisfied, knew he should be pleased, but for the life of him he couldn't get the image of Jack, from the night before, out of his mind. When he had approached the man, tried to come o him, Jack had looked hurt, frightened, and betrayed. He had looked haunted. And it had made Hector angry. "Cold." he murmured, finishing at last he closed his eyes, and tried to forget Jack, tried to blame Bootstrap, but even with his eyes closed he saw Jack's eyes, that look he'd given him right before he'd walked over the edge of the plank, it was almost pleading, and to Hector it looked like a silent apology.

Hector tried to blame Jack, but all he could do was feel the cold ebbing guilt gnawing at him from deep within, and he knew he'd never feel the way about another as he'd felt about Jack.

He felt guilty.


End file.
